| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To identify a toner storage means whose conveying force to convey a developer stored therein is reduced due to the plastic deformation of a flexible agitating member. <P>SOLUTION: The toner storage device includes: the flexible agitating member 60 which is rotated with the rotation of a rotating shaft 62; a detection part 61 which is located adjacently to the tip end part 60a coming into slidable contact with the inner wall of the toner storing means of the agitating member 60 and fixed to the agitating member 60; a sensor 14 which detects a physical quantity changing in accordance with a distance up to the detection part 61 changing with the rotation of the rotating shaft 62, and then, outputs a signal changing in accordance with the change of the physical quantity; and a rate-of-change detecting means which receives the output signal of the sensor 14 and detects the rate-of-change of the signal with respect to the lapse of time until the detection part 61 passes above the sensor after the distance from the sensor 14 up to the detection part 61 reaches a prescribed one in a state where the tip end part 60a of the agitating member 60 comes into slidable contact with the inner wall of the toner storage means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT |
